How to Make Grilled Fish Tacos! Season tender whitefish with fajita seasoning, then top with coleslaw and creamy sauce.
When it’s BBQ season, we want to get out the grill for just about anything… including tacos! This grilled fish tacos are a fantastic grilled dinner full of great flavors. Imagine: tender, flaky white fish grilled with cumin, chili powder, and garlic powder. Top it with a creamy taco sauce and some crunchy coleslaw. Stacked in a charred tortilla, it’s everything you could want for a healthy dinner! (That, of course, or grilled shrimp tacos.) Here’s what you need to know to prepare this delicious Mexican-inspired dish.
What fish to use for grilled fish tacos?
What’s the best fish for grilled fish tacos? There are many options, but here are our main options:
- Tilapia: This white fish has a mild, sweet flavor and a delicate, flaky texture. It’s easy to find and often used in fish tacos.
- Cod: Cod surprises many: because it’s damn good! Cod has a pleasantly mild taste that even people who are afraid of fish can tolerate.
- Job description: Mahi Mahi is more expensive and harder to find, and has a meatier flavor. This is a good option if you can’t find the first two.
Taco Seasoning for Grilled Fish: Homemade Fajita Mix!
The best seasoning for grilled fish tacos? It’s our homemade fajita seasoning! Now you can also use our Fish Taco Seasoning, specially formulated for Fish Tacos. But we actually prefer the fajita seasoning here. We recommend making it yourself because it’s quick and easy (read: 5 ingredients!) and tastes the best. Here’s what you need:
- 2 tablespoons cumin
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika (or regular sweet paprika)
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon of black pepper
It only takes 2 minutes to whip and you will have some left over to make this recipe again. If you really want to use the store-bought fajita seasoning, be careful! Many of these store-bought brands have added salt. Check the label and if it says salt, use less salt if you salt the fish before seasoning (about ¾ teaspoon total).
How to grill fish for tacos
How do you grill fish for tacos? After seasoning, throw it straight onto the hot grills. Here are some tips to keep in mind when grilling fish:
- The temperature of grilled fish? Medium heat or 375 to 450 degrees.
- How long to cook grilled fish for tacos? Cook skin-side down for 3 to 4 minutes, then skin-side up for 3 to 4 minutes! The fish is ready when it begins to scale when pulled with a fork. Or pull it with an indoor thermometer when it reads 130 degrees Fahrenheit (stick it straight into the thickest part of the fish).
- How to prevent fish from sticking to the grill? Here’s the secret: don’t spin it too soon! Wait until the fish is cooked enough to pull away from the grate. Then go back.
Grilled Fish Taco Toppings
Grilled fish taco toppings can take a bit of work if you’re not careful! So for this recipe, we’ve only included the basics. Then we have some ideas on how to dress them up if you want to add more!
- Creamy taco sauce: Our favorite is this Fish Taco Sauce: It only takes 5 minutes to mix. Or try our Cilantro Lime Crema, Lime Crema or Cilantro Lime Ranch: a sauce with a vibrant and tangy taste.
- Fresh Coleslaw: Prepare a quick coleslaw with red cabbage, carrots and lime juice.
- Queso Fresco or Feta Cheese (optional): The taste demands it: These tacos are delicious on their own. But if you like cheese in your tacos (and we do), this takes things up a notch.
Variations: dairy-free and gluten-free!
Want to change up the ingredients in these grilled fish tacos to make them dairy-free or gluten-free? Here’s how:
- Non dairy: Use a non-dairy taco sauce like cilantro sauce, chipotle sauce, or hot mayonnaise (with Mexican hot sauce).
- Gluten free: Use corn tortillas! Be sure to find a good brand: some brands can become brittle and brittle, or have an extremely strong corn flavor.
Sides to serve with grilled fish tacos
These Grilled Fish Tacos are a fantastic healthy dinner idea that’s great for weeknights or for parties and entertaining! (The best kind of recipe, right?) In the recipe below, we have a note about serving sizes. This recipe is for 1 pound of fish: that makes about 8 tacos. But if we’re hungry, Alex and I can tweak the whole recipe if we don’t have time to add sides.
If you’re feeding 4 very hungry eaters, increase the amount of fish and spices to 1 1/2 pounds of fish. Or simply prepare side dishes that you can serve as a side dish. Here are some easy side dishes with tacos:
Looking for more tacos? Check out all of our taco recipes.
This grilled fish taco recipe is…
Pescetarian, dairy-free (see above) and gluten-free (see above).
The description
How to Make Grilled Fish Tacos Packed with Flavor! Season tender white fish with fajita seasoning, then top with pico de gallo and creamy sauce.
- Grill fish: Preheat a grill to medium-high heat (375 to 450 degrees Fahrenheit). Bring the fish to room temperature while the grill preheats.
- Pat the fish dry with a clean towel. Rub it with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt. Then cover it with homemade fajita seasoning on all sides.**
- Grill the fish*** over indirect heat for 4 minutes until it comes off the grid. Flip and cook for another 2-4 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 130 degrees (just when the fish starts to flake when pulled with a fork). When the fish is done, break it up into bite-sized pieces with a fork.
- Prepare sauce: Prepare the fish taco sauce.
- Prepare the salad: Meanwhile, thinly slice the cabbage. Grate or grate the carrot (we used a julienne peeler). Finely chop the spring onion. Place the cabbage, carrots, and green onions in a bowl. Stir in the lime juice, salt, and celery salt. Serve immediately with a slotted spoon. Coleslaw absorbs moisture while it rests; If you plan on letting it sit, be sure to serve with the slotted spoon to filter out the moisture.
- Warm up tortillas: Char the tortillas, if desired, by placing them over an open gas flame over medium-high heat for a few seconds on each side, turning with tongs until lightly charred and warmed through. You can also wrap them in a packet of aluminum foil and place them on the grill for a minute or two until warmed through.
- Surcharge: Assemble the tacos by filling the tortillas with coleslaw, grilled fish, and gravy. Garnish with chopped coriander and a squeeze of lime.
Remarks
*If you are serving 4 hungry eaters, you can increase the amount of fish to 1½ pounds with 3 Tbsp fajita seasoning and 1½ tsp kosher salt. Also, increase the taco sauce by doubling it or 1.5. Or, be sure to serve it with a hearty side dish like bean curd (store-bought or homemade) or a Mexican salad.
**We recommend the homemade spice: it’s only 5 ingredients! If you must use store-bought fajita seasoning, check the label to see if it contains salt. If so, salt the fish a little less (about ¾ teaspoon).
***Alternative Method: If you’re lazy or want to make this recipe out of season, you can grill the fish. Use the same cooking method but place the fish on a baking sheet. Grill over high heat for 2-3 minutes per side (4-6 minutes total) until tender and flaky with a fork.
- Category: main course
- Method: Goal
- Kitchen: Mexican
- Diet: Gluten free
Keywords: Grilled Fish Tacos
